2025 AFCON qualifiers: Osimhen, Iheanacho missing as 20 players begin training

Forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Osimhen as well as goalkeeper Maduka Okoye are all missing as the Super Eagles of Nigeria take to the pitch on Tuesday evening for their first training session ahead of Saturday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic. Nigeria Football Federation’s Director of Communications, […]

Forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Osimhen as well as goalkeeper Maduka Okoye are all missing as the Super Eagles of Nigeria take to the pitch on Tuesday evening for their first training session ahead of Saturday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic.

Nigeria Football Federation’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, however said Iheanacho is due in camp on Wednesday while Okoye and Osimhen are being expected on Thursday.

Captain William Ekong led from the front, arriving on Monday with the earliest birds, which included defenders Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, and Olisa Ndah, midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and forwards Ademola Lookman and Taiwo Awoniyi.

Goalkeeper Amas Obasogie and midfielder Wilfred Ndidi were in too, and forward Victor Boniface and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali joined in the evening.

• Nigerians cautioned against excessive salt intake
• 1 in 4 paternity tests in Nigeria Negative –Report

On Tuesday morning, defender Calvin Bassey and midfielders Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka pitched in, before defender Benjamin Tanimu (drafted in place of Bright Osayi-Samuel), midfielder Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and forwards Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze landed.

In the evening, just before the team bus pulled out of the hotel for training, defender Bruno Onyemaechi (of Portuguese club Boavista) and midfielder Raphael Onyedika (of Belgian side Club Brugge) arrived in camp.

After Saturday’s encounter, the Super Eagles are scheduled to fly to Kigali on Sunday for Tuesday’s Matchday 2 clash with the Amavubi of Rwanda.